Giles waited until was seated before he relayed the message from his "friend". When he was finished, the noise was deafening. Willow sat in shock. Buffy, Xander and Oz were all talking at once. Spike quietly moved to Willow's side, taking her hand in his. Startled, she turned to look at him. His eyes looked troubled. She tried to ignore the shocks of pleasure that his touch sent through her body.
She took a deep breath and looked at Giles. "What do you think? Is he telling the truth or was it just a threat?"
Giles looked uncomfortable. "I honestly don't know. It sounded truthful, but he refused to leave a name. He did know of the council and my history with them, which leads credibility to his story."
"I don't get it. Why would some guy want to Willow? I mean, she's not exactly a threat." Buffy said.
Willow glanced at her friend, hurt by what she had said. Xander spoke up. "Yeah...I mean, is she going to "hack" him to death?" He laughed at his dumb joke.
Willow clenched Spike's hand tighter. This was how her friends were going to react to her possible death sentence? Making jokes and being mean? Spike felt disgust at their antics. He looked at Gies, ignoring the teens.
"Suppose he is lieing, what harm will it do to protect her as he said, just in case?"
Giles smiled. "Exactly. That's what I thought. I would rather not risk Willow's life either way. I suggest that she hide out for the week. After that, the threat is supposed to be gone. If it is a lie, we may never know."
"Where will she go?" Buffy asked, hearing the seriousness in her watcher's voice and becoming worried.
Willow was her best friend. She may act bitchy once in awhile, but she loved her dearly.
Giles looked at them, knowing they would not like his suggestion. He cleared his throat. "Well...since we are all know...there is um...only one person that well...um...."
"Out with it all ready G-man!" Xander exclaimed.
"Spike." Giles said.
"What?!??!!!" The question was asked from five different people.
"It really is the only logical choice. He can watch after her both during the day and at night. He has the extra bedroom. Also, he was not on the list of known acquaintances."
"I don't know if that is the best idea..." Spike said seriously.
He didn't think he could handle living with his obsession for an entire week. He didn't think he had enough control to make it through.
Giles sighed. "Well....the only other option would be to send her to LA to Angel."
"She can stay with me." Spike declared forcefully.
He was not letting her near the poof. He still remembered how Angelus had trailed after her like a puppy wanting to make her his. He was not about to let that bloody bastard near HIS Willow.
Willow was still shocked. She had some maniac after her for no apparent reason...now, she was going to be living with Spike for SEVEN days. In that small apartment....sharing a bathroom....only the two of them....Suddenly, she smiled. Maybe being hunted had its perks.
Fate nodded. It had all gone according to plan.
He'd had to whisper in the watcher's ear once (Typical Spike...protesting
too much....I knew he'd hate the idea of her with Peaches...Damn, I think
I may have been around here too long. I'm starting to talk like him....)
Willow seemed to be happy with the way things were going. Spike still looked
like a man facing his execution, but he'd get over it. Fate would make
sure of that. He didn't have that much more time to spend on those two.
He had given himself the week as a deadline. He ALWAYS made his deadlines.
Humming....he decided that there was enough time to meet up with Lady Luck....He'd
had to cancel on her the other night....Hmm...I'd better get some roses....With
a wave of his hand, he disappeared.